Empowerment of Women through Agriculture and
Other Training: Experience of an NGO
Agriculture is one of the oldest occupations of women in Sri Lanka. Their contribution to agriculture development continue to be very crucial to the National Economy.
Many women in the agricultural sector are still in the informal sector and remain invisible in the official national statistics.
Sri Lanka is predominantly an agricultural country with 82% of the households still in the rural sector.
Women constitute 50.7% of the population and is considered to be a valuable resource potential needed to be meaningfully organized and recognized in the field of entrepreneurship, especially in the rural agricultural sector of Sri Lanka. The gender ratio in the household population had declined to 91 males per 100 females as revealed in the Consumer Finance Survey of 2003/2004.
The employment structure in this Survey showed that around a third of the employed worked in the Agriculture sector, with a quarter in Industry and balance two fifths in the Services sector. Around 70% of the employed remained working in the informal sector where majority of them are females.
Underemployment continues to be a serious problem in the country remaining at 22% of the labour force. Relatively more females are underemployed than males. The unemployment rate among the females at 14.2% is more than double of male unemployment rate (males 6.3% and the total average is 8.9%).
The Education levels are rising but without a commensurate match between employment expectations and opportunities. The high levels of youth unemployment at the post secondary level is a good indicator for this mismatch. The informal private sector accounted for the largest share of the employed with the self-employed category forming the single largest share of 33% of the employed work force. Unpaid family workers also accounted for a significant 8% of the work force where females are the majority. The change in the production structures observed since the liberalization of the economy in 1977 was evident from the distribution of employment by Production sector with the shift to Service sector. As a result the share of the Agriculture sector declined further. The continuation of the shift was
confirmed by a further decline in the Agriculture sector share in the total employment from 38% in 1996/97 to 33% in 2003/04.
The distribution of employment revealed that skilled agricultural and fishery workers continued to absorb the highest share of employment in 2003/04 though it had decreased to 25% from 35% from 1996/97. This category too consisted of around 30% of unskilled workers in the agriculture sector. Thus these observations confirm the continued importance of the agriculture sector in providing employment in the country despite its declining relative contribution to national output. The distribution of occupation groups reveal that the highest share of females are recorded in the skilled agricultural and fishery workers category.
The need to mainstream women as a human resource is central to national development. Women entrepreneurs in rural industry and agro production have throughout comprised a relatively large proportion of domestic producers. Alternatives are available in the under utilized productive potential of the small micro subsistence sectors.
Promotion of women entrepreneurs in the developing countries is a new phenomenon. Large number of Sri Lankan women started joining the labour force as a result of free education There are no social barriers positions compared to other South Asian countries for women to join the labour force. Women have been involved in the Agricultural Sector mostly as unpaid family workers where their role is not recognized as it is in the informal sector.
Advanced technical skills and inputs available to the privileged sectors such as laboratory facilities, quality equipment, storage, cooling, packaging facilities, infrastructural amenities and transport etc. are not available or inaccessible to the poor women in rural areas.
Background of Agromart Foundation
In 1985, a group of women entrepreneurs and managers took the initiative to form a Women’s Chamber of Industry & Commerce (WCIC) so as to strengthen the position of women in business and facilitate their entry into entrepreneurship.
The WCIC with the objective of reaching farming women at grass root level conceived the idea of ‘Agromart’ in order to recognize their role in the rural agro – based society. The chamber conducted a survey to assess women’s participation in agriculture in the rural sector and it was revealed that women could participate more efficiently in agriculture and play a major role in development given the appropriate training. Thereafter the WCIC held annual trade fairs to create marketing linkages between the rural producer and the urban buyers.
The success of these annual events led to the formation of the Agromart Outreach Foundation(AOF) in 1989 by seven founder members from the Women’s Chamber of Industries and Commerce (WCIC) with a vision to Empower rural communities with a gender sensitive approach to reduce the rapid increase in poverty in the rural sector.
Agromart Foundation is a Non – Governmental Voluntary Organization with charity status and was incorporated in May 1989. In the pursuit of its vision of empowering the rural community AOF has taken into account the multidimensional aspects of poverty and through its project aims, seeks to eliminate the vulnerabilities of rural communities and to empower women in the rural agricultural sector, and through them, households and rural communities to gain greater control of their own lives and resources. To this end, it facilities a community-driven gender sensitive training process to promote sustainable development of rural women entrepreneurs, especially those in agriculture and agri related businesses and motivate and mobilize their active participation in development processes that affect their own lives. The AOF holistic empowerment package of training services are consolidated, enhanced and used for this purpose.
The goals of AOF are to strengthen women in all gender roles to empower them to become economically independent leaders able to participate in the decision making process. At present AOF has expanded it’s training activities to seven districts of Sri Lanka from Kurunegala, Puttalam, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Monargala to Ampara.
(Annexure 1)
The training is in focused areas of self employment opportunities in the agri-related and in areas of interest where marketable products could be produced for income generation. Agromart strives to sustain agro production and processing as a priority, while upgrading its status to viable entrepreneurship.
The Entrepreneur development Training is designed to catalyse entrepreneurship in rural communities by providing self-employment training. The programme is aimed to develop technical and management skills to promote sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, agri based small industry, credit and savings, environmental conservation etc. The subject categories in this are fruit and vegetable cultivation, paddy and rice production medicinal plants cultivation, organic compost and chemical free crop cultivation etc.
The above subject areas of training are decided upon the findings of a need analysis carried out in the locality prior to training. When selecting the beneficiaries priority is given to women, underprivileged youth and individuals owning land for agricultural livelihood development.
Some of the areas of successes were prawn farming, cultivation of vegetables and fruits, livestock management, mushroom cultivation, poultry farming and horticulture. These successful entrepreneurs have formed their own production societies of floriculture growers, mushroom cultivators, Dairy farmers etc.
The participants who follow the EnDTP successfully continue to follow the Economic Literacy Training programme. Economic Literacy Training is conducted to enhance the Entrepreneur Development Training in business knowledge necessary for micro-enterprises. Participants are trained in business planning, feasibility studies, budgeting, pricing, simple book keeping, marketing surveys, marketing and management etc. All trained entrepreneurs form into Agromart Production Societies. Since inception there are 583 societies with a membership of more than 40,000 rural women and men who have been trained under the entrepreneurship and economic literacy training programmes with 80% being women. Its steadily increasing membership is an indicator of its success in all fields of entrepreneurship and empowerment of rural people especially the Women. The dissemination of information to and from the society members is enhanced by the monthly meetings held at each district office with the Executive Committee Members. (President, Secretary and Treasurer)
The field officers have to visit the monthly meetings of the societies at the village level also regularly. In addition a quarterly meeting is held at the Head Office in Colombo of the representation of the district committees to share important matters of concern directly with the Chairperson, Executive Director, Board Members and other officials of Head Office. These meetings at national level helps to share information on training plans and all matters concerning the future training and other matters of interest. A recent decision was taken to gather at district level a forum once a year and every two years to have a jamboree with all trainees of Agromart.
Agromart strive to sustain agro – production and processing as a priority, while upgrading its status to viable entrepreneurship.
The entrepreneurship and Economic Literacy Training is supported by yet another series of training programmes designed to fill the vacuum in training as “Training for Everyone”, depending on need/request of rural enterprises. Short, medium term and long term training are conducted for those who are already trained and other potential entrepreneurs. This training is very popular among the urban and rural youth and Agromart is known as the Rural Polytechnic. These training programmes are conducted by professionals of product specialization (non-farm diversification). Courses presently available are Mushroom Cultivation, Curtain Manufacturing, Sewing Machine Repair, Mosquito Net Making, Saree Blouse making, Floriculture, Pattern making, Infants Clothing, Bakery Products, Yoghurt/Ice Cream, Soap Products, Chinese Food Preparation, Ornamental Fish, Fibre Glass Products, Spring Repairs, Carpet Making, Vegetable Carving, Beauty Culture, Candle Making, Dried
Flowers, Screen Printing, Glass Painting, Joss Sticks Manufacturing, Crystal Making, Landscaping, Television/Radio Repairs, Cookery Classes, Paper Making, Photography etc.
Marketing is the most critical aspect of entrepreneurship. The Micro Entrepreneurs access to meaningful profit margins which can break through the poverty barrier or remain in exploitary systems depends on their knowledge, understanding and control of the market. Agromart’s approach to marketing is innovative and dynamic. Opportunities are provided and regularly introduced to promote vibrant competitiveness, improve production efficiencies and introduction to commercial market links through a series of schemes and innovations.
Every year Agromart organizes a Trade Fair which is a major Agricultural and Small Industries event in Sri Lanka. At this Fair, rural women forming the majority and other
producers display and sell their products and compete in product competitions. This pioneering effort initially was to create a marketing information flow between the rural
producers and their goals. The basic premise is that producers learn vital market requirements particularly in regard to quality, quantity and price for their products through competitions and direct interaction with buyers, be they retailers, wholesalers or exporters. The Trade Fair also provides a forum for the exchange of technology and market information and a buyer seller meet which improves and diversifies products and thereby improves marketability and consequently incomes. Mini Trade Fairs are conducted at district level monthly or on a quarterly basis depending on the needs of each district.
An annual event looked forward to by the society members is the Annual Agricultural Livestock and Small Industry Competition. This tool enables the society members to be with Agromart and also to enhance their production. The competition is restricted to the membership only. First prize winners of the competition is taken on a foreign tour to Thailand and the 2nd and 3rd prize winners get an exposure to Agricultural and livestock development activities locally in agricultural Research Centres, Government and private sector farms etc. This event is the culmination of their training which has made a strong bond between Agromart Foundation and Production Society members.
Credit & Savings
The barriers for women to obtain credit has been eliminated with the introducing of the loan schemes. Eligibility for loan interest guarantees, loan disbursements and loan repayments are corroborative responsibility of the membership. Women who were restricted to access of credit in the formal sector due to collateral problem etc. have reaped the most benefits out of the credit programs. Hitherto women who relied heavily on informal sources of credit with
very high interest rates are now saved from the obstacles after introducing the micro credit schemes of AOF.
• Anti-poverty Lending scheme (APLE)
The anti poverty lending scheme initiated under the sponsorship of USAID is still being continued.
Credit is offered to members of the Agromart Production Societies, mainly women who have either no income or receive low incomes to start-up viable income generation projects.
• Rewards Enhanced Loan scheme (RELS)
This scheme also commenced during the year 1996. The beneficiaries of the credit scheme are those persons who have borrowed from Commercial Banks on the recommendation of the Agromart Foundation and repaid their loans in full.
The quantum of the loan is double the amount borrowed previously. However, there is a maximum limit of Rs. 50,000/= applicable to this scheme.
• Randora Society Solidarity Group Loan Scheme (RANDORA – Golden Gate)
This scheme commenced during the year 1996. The proceeds of the loan scheme are disbursed to Agromart Production Societies and not to individual borrowers.
The maximum amount granted per society is Rs. 10,000/-. The loan is disbursed free of interest for the first six moth and thereafter, an interest of 2% per month is levied. The repayment period is one year with a further grace period of one year.
Our sister organization Agro Micro Finance has now taken over the full responsibility of loan disbursement.
Leadership promotion and advocacy campaign
The leaders who have emerged from the societies were trained on leadership promotion and advocacy campaigns to mobilize women towards participatory decision making especially on democratic rights.
Women are empowered to participate in planning their own development priorities collaborating with National development structures viz. the Provincial Council. Agromart initiated open forum discussions at grassroots level to motivate participatory discussions and prioritizing of village problems and planning for what the village sees as their own priorities of development.
The empowerment process is continued through the advocacy training campaign for leadership, promotion through educational seminars on fundamental human rights in law and legal rights.
- Gender sensitization for women’s role and lobby for women’s issues.
- Democratic participation for development citizen’s responsibilities and political rights.
As a tool of media for communication Agromart publishes a fortnightly tabloid ‘Dinithi’ – the knowledgeable woman which seeks to raise the awareness of women on current topical issues of national concern and encourages women to use the newspaper medium as a tool to generate a forum for women’s issues.
It is Agromart’s firm belief that micro-enterprises efficiently planned and mainstreamed is one gateway out of poverty.
Agromart training effort has changed many lives of rural women – their successes are recorded here.
(Annexure III)
• Chandralatha – Mawathagama
• H.M. Dayaseeli – Nikeveratiya
• H.H. Leelawathi – Angunakolapellessa
• Menike Seneviratne – Damana
• Sriyani Gunawardena – Arachchikattuwa
Agromart has now become the leading women’s NGO in Sri Lanka to empower women through entrepreneur development and other training at the grassroots level.
Fifteen years after its inception AOF can boast of a qualified and dedicated management and staff, at its head office and seven District Officers at Kurunegala, Puttalam, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Monaragala and Ampara. An important input of knowledge and experience was received from the Board of Management who is on a voluntary basis from the field of Business, Administration, Banking, Development, Legal and the Private Sector. The Board and the staff have been committed to working together towards the empowerment of the rural poor, especially farm based women.
Agromart’s relationship with local and Municipal Governments has cultivated the link between local officials and communication which is vital for sustainable development to occur. Agromart Foundation’s intervention since 1989 to address the effect of global market forces and the rural subsistence economy and concurrently to empower women for their participation in the processing of democracy and development that affect their own lives. Agromart has been able to supplement the Agricultural training and extra activities of the Department of Agriculture also to a great extent in the seven districts of operation.
Impact of Training
Agromart is renowned among local communities, local and national government officials and several International donors for its pioneering work in women’s micro enterprise development and upliftment of rural enterprises. Agromart’s success affirms new development paradigms stressing the importance of enhancing women’s status.
Several evaluation programmes conducted by the AOF as well as others confirmed that the majority of trainees have started and expanded their businesses thus leading to an increased income. The increase in the income levels had lead to the improvement of their quality of life, with children sent to better schools and permanent houses built with the additional incomes. Agromart has had a positive impact on the lives of more than 40,000 trained society members economically as well as socially during the past 15 years. This has further lead to the enhancing of women’s position in the household as well as better control over resources and her economic independence.
Many women have reported that as a result of training they are more self confident and had ‘greater self-esteem’ and were empowered to make decisions affecting their lives.
Since 1989, Agromart training programmes have improved the economic, social and personal well being of micro entrepreneurs in rural Sri Lanka. In addition Agricultural activities have mobilized community participation in local decision-making and the local economy.
The economic empowerment of training is translated to the community at large. As home grown businesses begin to flourish, they create spillovers through local empowerment and purchasing that stimulates community’s economic and social vitality. The community network and leadership established through Agromart societies mobilize civic participation creating a sense of community empowerment. The evaluations confirmed that Agromart enhanced the community as well as individual development in the seven districts where Agromart operates.
The personal and intrinsic benefits gained by Agromart trainees are perhaps the most valuable and also the most sought after by the development practitioners. Self-confidence, self-esteem, motivation, ambition, courage and self – reliance are all essential entrepreneurial qualities demonstrated amply by the Agromart Production Society membership. The personality change inspired by the knowledge and support imparted by Agromart are manifest as positive individual actions at home, in social circles and business relationships making a valuable contribution to the development of a richer society.
